Christmas is a time for giving, no doubt about that. However, most of us have pretty much everything we need so this year, choose alternative Christmas gifts for your loved ones. Rather than be fooled by glossy Christmas ads on the telly and the mindless consumerism that follows, I want you to think about choosing gifts more meaningfully and opt for presents that make a difference to the lives of those who produced them, as well as the environment.

So in this gift guide, I offer you my top 3 alternative Christmas gifts:

Give back with From Babies With Love

From babies with love are an award-winning social enterprise that donates 100% of its profits to orphaned and abandoned children around the world. They make unique, ethically sourced baby products, such as clothes and toys, so by purchasing one of them you’re making a difference to many more children around the world.

Photo credit: From babies with love

Photo credit: From babies with love

Photo credit: From babies with love

Photo credit: From babies with love

Photo credit: From babies with love

Photo credit: From babies with love

Support CAFOD to provide post-natal care in developing countries

We take the free health care, including pre and post-natal care, in the UK for granted. Yet in developing countries, the lack of post-natal care can be life-threatening for many Mums and their babies. CAFOD (Catholic Agency For Overseas Development) offers a unique Christmas gift available through their World Gifts so your donation helps provide essential treatment to Mums and babies, and ultimately save lives.

For the past 17 years, reusable menstrual pads’ brand Lunapads have been running a campaign Pads4Girls to support menstrual and reproductive health and access to education in developing countries. As many as 10% of young girls in developing countries miss school due to lack of access to menstrual products. This leads to girls dropping out of school, earlier marriage and pregnancies, ultimately leading to limited work opportunities. Supporting this campaign will help provide washable menstrual products for them to use for years, therefore removing the burden of repurchasing disposable ones every month.

Photo credit: Lunapads Pads4Girls

Photo credit: Lunapads Pads4Girls

Photo credit: Lunapads Pads4Girls

There’s so many more alternative Christmas gifts. Do you know any others? Please pop them in the comments below to help others make a difference.

3 comments on “Christmas gift guide #7 – Alternative Christmas gifts”

Seriously all about the alternative Christmas gifts at my house. I love giving credit for Kiva. Amazing-microfinance has the ability to change the world for the better.JB recently posted…Dutchess Cup vs. Diva Cup